Norwegian Cruise Line announced that the last block, number 0898, in the construction of Norwegian Epic was lowered onto the vessel on Friday, June 5 at STX Europe in Saint-Nazaire, France. The block, which weighed 563 tons, equivalent to the weight of approximately 64 elephants, and measured 133 feet wide, 113 feet long and 63 feet high, was placed above the bridge on Deck 13 and took one hour to move onto the ship.

One of largest on the vessel, this block will house portions of The Villas, a private enclave of 60 exclusive suites located on Decks 16, 17 and 18. The radar mast will be added next which will complete Norwegian Epic’s structure before her float out and transfer to the outfitting dock on July 11, 2009.

The 153,000-gross ton, 4,200-passenger ship is scheduled for delivery at the end of May 2010. For more information and renderings, visit epic.ncl.com. With the final block in place, Norwegian Epic is ready for her July 11 float out.

About Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) is the innovator in cruise travel with a 42-year history of breaking the boundaries of traditional cruising, most notably with the introduction of Freestyle Cruising which has revolutionized the industry by allowing guests more freedom and flexibility. Today, NCL has the youngest fleet in the industry with 11 purpose-built Freestyle Cruising ships, providing guests the opportunity to enjoy a relaxed cruise vacation on the newest, most contemporary ships at sea.

NCL is presently building Norwegian Epic, a new third generation Freestyle Cruising ship, for delivery in 2010. High resolution, downloadable images are available at www.ncl.com/pressroom. For further information on NCL, visit www.ncl.com, follow us on Facebook and Twitter or contact NCL in the U.S. and Canada at (866) 234-0292.